第43章

Now the marriage-feast went on， and Swanhild， draped in white and girt about with gold， sat by Atli's side upon the high seat. He was fain of her and drew her to him， but she looked at him with cold calm eyes in which hate lurked. The feast was done， and all the company rode to the sea strand， where the Earl's ship lay at anchor. They came there， and Swanhild kissed Asmund， and talked a while with Groa， her mother， and bade farewell to all men. But she bade no farewell to Eric and to Gudruda.

"Why sayest thou no word to these two？" asked Atli， her husband.

"For this reason， Earl，" she answered， "because ere long we three shall meet again； but I shall see Asmund， my father， and Groa， my mother， no more.""That is an ill saying， wife，" said Atli. "Methinks thou dost foretell their doom.""Mayhap！ And now I will add to my redes， for I foretell /thy/ doom also： it is not yet， but it draws on."Then Atli bethought him of many wise saws， but spoke no more， for it seemed to him this was a strange bride that he had wed.

They hauled the anchor home， shook out the great sail， and passed away into the evening night. But while land could still be seen， Swanhild stood near the helm， gazing with her blue eyes upon the lessening coast. Then she passed to the hold， and shut herself in alone， and there she stayed， saying that she was sick， till at length， after a fair voyage of twenty days， they made the Orkney Islands.

But all this pleased Atli wondrous ill， yet he dared not cross her mood.

Now， in Iceland the time drew on when men must ride to the Althing， and notice was given to Eric Brighteyes of many suits that were laid against him， in that he had brought Mord， Ospakar's son， to his death， dealing him a brain or a body or a marrow wound， and others of that company. But no suits were laid against Skallagrim， for he was already outlaw. Therefore he must go in hiding， for men were out to slay him， and this he did unwillingly， at Eric's bidding. Asmund took up Eric's case， for he was the most famous of all lawmen in that day， and when thirteen full weeks of summer were done， they two rode to the Thing， and with them a great company of men of their quarter.

Now， men go up to the L？gberg， and there came Ospakar， though he was not yet healed of his wound， and all his company， and laid their suits against Eric by the mouth of Gizur the Lawman， Ospakar's son. The pleadings were long and cunning on either side； but the end of it was that Ospakar brought it about， by the help of his friends--and of these had many--that Eric must go into outlawry for three years. But no weregild was to be paid to Ospakar and his men for those who had been killed， and no atonement for the great wound that Skallagrim Lambstail gave him， or for the death of Mord， his son， inasmuch as Eric fought for his own hand to save his life.

The party of Ospakar were ill pleased at this finding， and Eric was not over glad， for it was little to his mind that he should sail a-warring across the seas， while Gudruda sat at home in Iceland. Still， there was no help for the matter.

Now Ospakar spoke with his company， and the end of it was that he called on them to take their weapons and avenge themselves by their own might. Asmund and Eric， seeing this， mustered their army of free-men and thralls. There were one hundred and five of them， all stout men； but Ospakar Blacktooth's band numbered a hundred and thirty-three， and they stood with their backs to the Raven's Rift.

"Now I would that Skallagrim was here to guard my back，" said Eric， "for before this fight is done few will left standing to tell its tale.""It is a sad thing，" said Asmund， "that so many men must die because some men are now dead.""A very sad thing，" said Eric， and took this counsel. He stalked alone towards the ranks of Ospakar and called in a loud voice， saying：

"It would be grievous that so many warriors should fall in such a matter. Now hearken， you company of Ospakar Blacktooth！ If there be any two among you who will dare to match their might against my single sword in holmgang， here I， Eric Brighteyes， stand and wait them. It is better that one man， or perchance three men， should fall， than that anon so many should roll in the dust. What say ye？"Now all those who watched called out that this was a good offer and a manly one， though it might turn out ill for Eric； but Ospakar answered：

"Were I but well of my wound I alone would cut that golden comb of thine， thou braggart； as it is， be sure that two shall be found.""Who is the braggart？" answered Eric. "He who twice has learned the weight of this arm and yet boasts his strength， or I who stand craving that two should come against me？ Get thee hence， Ospakar； get thee home and bid Thorunna， thy leman， whom thou didst beguile from that Ounound who now is named Skallagrim Lambstail the Baresark， nurse thee whole of the wound her husband gave thee. Be sure we shall yet stand face to face， and that combs shall be cut then， combs black or golden.

Nurse thee！ nurse thee！ cease thy prating--get thee home， and bid Thorunna nurse thee； but first name thou the two who shall stand against me in holmgang in Oxarà's stream."Folk laughed aloud while Eric mocked， but Ospakar gnashed his teeth with rage. Still， he named the two mightiest men in his company， bidding them take up their swords against Brighteyes. This， indeed， they were loth to do； still， because of the shame that they must get if they hung back， and for fear of the wrath of Ospakar， they made ready to obey his bidding.

Then all men passed down to the bank of Oxarà， and， on the other side， people came from their booths and sat upon the slope of All Man's Raft， for it was a new thing that one man should fight two in holmgang.